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Risk Assessment of Proposed Urban Development on Major Metropolitan Water Storage.
This project involved a quantitative assessment of the microbial and chemical risks to the health of drinking water customers posed by a proposed residential development in the catchment area of a drinking water storage.  The risk assessment involved modelling surface water runoff volumes and quality under a range of storm event scenarios and predicted health consequences using the World Health Organisation’s concept of tolerable disease burdens.  Risk modelling covered aspects of surface water hydrology, engineering risk, contaminant load assessment, pathogen microbiology, and involved the use of Monte-Carlo Simulation to determine the extent of uncertainty surrounding model predictions.  Client: Melbourne Water.

Microbial Risk Assessment of Water Use Options for the Aurora Housing Development.
The initial development stages of the Aurora housing development, a large water sensitive urban development in Melbourne’s north, involved an assessment of several different water saving options.  In order to determine the optimum suite of water saving options and manage the potential risks to public health, Ecos conducted quantitative microbial risk assessments of each potential household water use option including recycled effluent for garden watering and roof catchment rainwater for hot water supply.  Client: VicUrban and Coomes Consulting.

Risk Assessment of Houseboat Greywater Use at Lake Eildon.
In conjunction with colleagues at Water Futures, Ecos prepared an ecological and human health risk assessment of the effects of greywater discharges on the water quality and ecology of Lake Eildon.  The project involved modelling two risk aspects, firstly health risk to houseboat owners and other users of the lake due to greywater pathogens and secondly ecological risk due to high greywater nutrient loads and the response of nuisance and harmful algae.  The impact of houseboats greywater discharges on the nutrient budget of Lake Eildon was also assessed.  Client: Goulburn-Murray Water.